When asked about their intention behind launching the Lagos Fringe, Benda notes:

“Our idea was to create an alternative festival where, if you didn’t get to perform in March, you get to perform in November. And since this was the fringe, it had to be totally open-access and cut across everything: music, street theatre, circus, busking, drama and comedy.”

Kenneth adds:

“The model for the Lagos Theatre Festival itself was a response to the lack of infrastructure here in Nigeria, so it was based on what was lacking and to help develop others to make work.”

Read more about the history and often volatile context in which Kenneth and Brenda Uphopho have been shaping the Nigerian cultural landscape in this profile by The Stage. Kenneth will be attending the Guadalajara 2019 ISPA Congress this coming May!

Tell us about what you’re up to in your current role?As a Palestinian woman managing a theater company I work very hard to use theater to create positive change in the society and make a difference in the life of people especially women, youth and children. Al Harah has achieved a lot during the last 13 years in terms of inclusion, social change and empowering women and youth through theater. We also organize Palestine International Children and Youth Theater Festival every two years.

What were you doing before your current work that led to this?I was working for seven years as the Assistant Public Information Officer at UNRWA serving Palestinian Refugee rights and issues. Then after a TOT with the Mawred Resource and the European Cultural Foundation I became one of the first trainers in cultural management in the Arab world who participated in writing the first Arabic Manual in Cultural Management to be published in Arabic. I have been training in cultural management for more than 13 years in the MENA Region and some European countries.

What do you specifically hope to contribute to the global field of the performing arts in your career?I do hope to be able to encourage and influence people working in performing arts to express their views on issues related to injustices happening in the world bluntly without fear and to be able to take positions towards other people in the world through their creative work. I aspire to build new partnerships with countries in Asia and in Latin America where we have so much in common.

What is your favorite part about working in this field?My favorite part of working in the field is seeing the eyes of young people who have experienced the impact of performing arts on their lives, especially women. Witnessing the impact of performing arts on creating positive change in our communities and empowering youth.

What was the impression of your first congress?I was overwhelmed by the number of fellows who were there and their achievements on the global level. Got inspired by some of the speakers who were selected for the congress. I was proud of our work despite all the challenges we face being under Occupation.

In 2018, ISPA brought 49 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders so we're highlighting the 2018 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.

Today we are highlighting 2018 Global Fellow Sokhorn Yon, Program Manager at Cambodia Living Arts. In this capacity, Sokhorn manages their “Arts Development” program, with a mission to (1) enable artists and cultural leaders through training, funding, resources and network development and (2) integrate art and culture into the every day life of Cambodian youth. We caught up with Sokhorn to learn more about the cultural fabric in Cambodia and she introduced us to Asian Cultural Council's Facebook Page and website to keep up with the happenings and opportunities in art and culture across Asia. And why do this work? In her words "one thing that makes me proud in working in the sector is that I've got the chance to work with and support the creative generations of Cambodian artists to create the work that is meaningful and relevant to them."

In 2018, ISPA brought 49 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders so we're highlighting the 2018 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.

]]>Thu, 1 Mar 2018 17:09:38 GMTMeet Zana Hoxha Krasniqi (Kosovo; 2018 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=386178
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=386178Today we are highlighting 2018 Global Fellow Zana Hoxha Krasniqi, Executive Director of ARTPOLIS – Art and Community Center in Kosovo. She describes herself as creative, inclusive, and providing. As a theater director, artist and activist she uses theater to advocate for social issues, raising awareness for gender-based violence, human rights, and diversity. We caught up with Zana to learn more about the cultural fabric in Kosovo and she introduced us to KultPlus (Kosovo’s cultural web portal) to stay up-to-date with news about the arts and culture in the region! Zana will be joining us at the Leeuwarden-Friesland ISPA Congress, make sure to meet her there.

ISPA:

Zana, What are the three adjectives that describe you?

Zana:

Creative, inclusive, providing

ISPA:

What’s your favorite city in the world?

Zana:

Zagreb (Croatia) - its a unique city filled with Cultural heritage sites, warm and welcoming people and a city where I draw inspiration from.

ISPA:

Zagreb was ISPA's destination for its 2010 international congress!

ISPA:

Can you name one channel that you subscribe to or frequently visit to stay up-to-date with news about the arts and culture in your region?

Zana:

KultPlus (Kosovo cultural web portal) - I visit their Facebook Page and website a couple of time during the day - it's an inclusive and diverse cultural website.

In 2018, ISPA brought 49 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders so we're highlighting the 2018 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.]]>Fri, 9 Feb 2018 16:03:20 GMTMeet Heena Patel (USA; ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=374057
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=374057Today we are highlighting ISPA Fellow Heena Patel, South Asian Performing Arts Specialist and Founder of MELA Arts Connect. Heena and MELA Arts Connect’s entrepreneurial arts agency model serves an important and ongoing need in our community expanding access to and engagement with South Asian performance.

The recipe–as Heena describes,

“I had deep cultural competency and networks in the South Asian arts community and in the presenting community. I wanted to bring them all together and MELA Arts Connect was born. One of my strengths is connecting the dots, with MELA, I connect the dots through the arts.”

In 2017, ISPA brought 56 Fellows from around the world to the New York 2017 Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2017 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.]]>Fri, 10 Nov 2017 22:19:36 GMTCheck Out These Recent ISPA Fellow Accolades!https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=369745
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=369745It is no surprise that ISPA Fellows past and current continue to make waves throughout our industry. In the past month, we’ve been delighted to see some very deserving accolades bestowed. Congratulations to these, and the many others not listed!

In 2017, ISPA brought 56 Fellows from around the world to the New York 2017 Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2017 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.]]>Wed, 11 Oct 2017 21:49:33 GMTFellows Reading Listhttps://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=335548
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=335548Fifty-five ISPA Fellows joined the New York 2017 ISPA Congress making up 10% of congress delegates. Over the months since, we have continued to learn from their insights and provocations as they put their experience to paper. So for this month’s Fellow Spotlight we wanted to share a growing and thought provoking Fellows Reading List.

Some excerpts to peak your interest:

Vikram Iyengar (India), “What’s Outside the Echo Chamber?” At that last session on that first day in New York we were asked several questions about our backgrounds: was this our first time in NYC, which region of the world were we from, how many languages did we speak… All the questions were framed so that you stood up if it was relevant to you. The last one – how many of you feel that what you do matters? I looked around the room. For the first and only time, all 56 of us were standing. There was power there, there was politics, and there was privilege. And imbuing all three, yet standing apart in its own right was Art.”

Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh (England), “Free to be you and me”Our intersectional and shifting identities can be charted in many ways, here is one path I have been reflecting on informed by the programme of art and culture today at the ISPA Congress: Find stillness and gaze over your shoulder to learn from your journey through crystallising the key moments into images you can navigate. Be attentive to the place where you stand, and the environmental conditions, notice the resistance. Then dare to look towards the horizon in order to forecast what may come - don’t censor yourself, be limitless. In all of this creativity and diversity, this manifests as our philosophy and our understanding of human rights within a political context that imbues how we are in the world.”

In 2017, ISPA brought 55 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we're highlighting the 2017 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.

]]>Wed, 15 Mar 2017 17:27:20 GMTMeet Butholezwe Kgosi Nyathi (Zimbabwe; 2017 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=329792
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=329792Today we are highlighting 2017 Fellow Butholezwe Kgosi Nyathi, Programs Manager at Amagugu International Heritage Centre, Zimbabwe. Through this role, Butholezwe is currently leading a team to develop a Heritage Festival which will promote Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage supporting the work and projects of the country’s marginalized creatives. The new festival scheduled to launch August 2017.

Butholezwe’s favorite part about working in the performing arts field is that “the creative landscape is ideal for mental stimulation as there is always a constant search for new approaches to artistic presentations. The quest to think in other terms is often translated to everyday human endeavor and that is ideal in crafting solutions to human challenges. And yes the arts are fun - who doesn't want to have fun at their workplace?”

When asked what he specifically hopes to contribute to the international field of performing arts in his career, Butholezwe noted “I’m keen to share the complexities of arts administration and attendant adaptive mechanisms from a Zimbabwean perceptive characterised by capital deficiency. I'm also keen to facilitate systematic promotion of Zimbabwean performance artists as one of the strategies towards international profiling of the local cultural landscape - using performance arts to promote a positive image of Africa.”

Butholezwe attended the New York 2017 ISPA Congress thanks to the generous support of ISPA’s Fellowship Patron and Challenge donors. When asked about the impact of his first ISPA experience, Butholeszwe shared: “The ISPA Congress struck me as a high profile meeting place of leaders in the global creative industry value chain and presents a fantastic networking opportunity for emerging arts administrators like myself. ISPA has enhanced my international connections and profile.”

Read more about Butholezwe’s experience at ISPA in this recent article in the Zimbabwean weekly paper The Sunday News.

In 2017, ISPA brought 56 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2017 Fellows in features via the members-only monthly Network and on the website.

Today we are highlighting 2016 Fellow Alejandro Marrero, Literary advisor/ Art manager at Estudio Teatral de Santa Clara. For those who attended the New York 2016 ISPA Congress, you may recall Alejandro marked his first day at ISPA by sharing a high-energy regional update on his country of Cuba!

We caught up with Alejandro and heard all about a notable partnership that emerged from his time at the Congress. Having connected with ISPA member Barbash Arts Consulting Services, Alejandro and Cathy Barbash have since co-produced an exchange residency, bringing traditional Lakota performing Kevin Locke to Santa Clara and Havana. This exchange has produced an ongoing relationship and discussions are already underway for new projects involving both Cuban and American artists and organizations!

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders on site do we're highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.]]>Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:15:07 GMTMeet Malcolm Rock (Netherlands; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=313695
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=313695Meet Malcolm Rock, Artistic Director of ODD Continent, and writer-director-producer of opera, dance and theatre. Just this week, ODD Continent premiered its newest musical/opera/ballet: Morning Blossoms, written and directed by Malcolm! When asked about this experience he noted, “Quite an undertaking […] this time last year I was alone in my study writing jaunty lyrics. Next thing I know, I'm responsible for more than 80 people, including a full symphony orchestra.”

When asked about what he hopes to contribute to the international field of the performing arts, Malcolm said, “The world has become bloated with content, most of it disposable. Our present-day profession has found itself with an odd responsibility: to build an enduring canon—a long-lasting repertoire—through the creation of transient work. I guess this contradiction appeals to me.”

His favorite part about working in the field is “its spontaneous, handmade qualities. Performing arts is beautiful when it is analogue and immediate; when you can see the grain.”

Malcolm attended the New York 2016 ISPA congress as a Netherlands Fellow thanks to the generous support of Dutch Performing Arts / Performing Arts Fund NL. When asked about his impression of his first congress, Malcolm shared, “I loved that everyone was in the same place, at the same time, sharing the same information, session after session. It was like going back to school. I didn't feel like I had to run across the quadrangle just to talk to someone important: chances are I'd be sitting at the desk beside them after recess. Now I have an ISPA Fellowship, so I suddenly feel like a prefect!”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders on site do we're highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

When asked what she hopes to contribute to the international field of the performing arts, E-Jan noted: “Making connections, bringing artists together to create work the speaks for itself, reflect the society at the same time archive the era.”

Her favorite part about working in the field is “the immeasurable excitement the arts bring into one’s heart and soul! It keeps me alive being at the core of creation and innovation, surrounded by people who have similar thoughts, together we make things happen.”

E-Jan attended the New York 2016 ISPA Congress as a Global Fellow thanks to the generous support of ISPA’s Fellowship Patron and Challenge Donors. When asked about her impression of her first ISPA Congress, E-Jan shared: “OH WAO. People in this network are really diverse and they are all friendly! Not only they are from everywhere around the world, they are also from various practices and professional backgrounds. It's ever exciting talking to different people, to learn and share experiences, enjoy the peer to peer motivation.”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite do we're highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter ​Network​ and on the website.

]]>Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:33:48 GMTMeet Tamar Brüggemann (Netherlands; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=303756
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=303756Meet Tamar Brüggemann, Managing Director of Holland Baroque and founding co-director of Wonderfeel. The second edition of Wonderfeel just concluded July 23 so we caught up with Tamar to learn more about the festival and the work that lead its inaugural year in 2015:

“As a professional I started working in (early) music at the age of 19. From 2001 through 2013 I worked in different departments of the Early Music Organization, famous for its Utrecht festival, the world’s largest early music festival with more than 180 events in 10 days. During this time I also worked for shorter periods of time for several Dutch early music ensembles like Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, New Dutch Academy and Camerata Trajectina.

In 2013 I became the managing director of Holland Baroque. A radically versatile baroque orchestra; we like to explore other musical styles – jazz, folk, French chansons, klezmer, singer songwriting – without losing sight of our baroque foundation and the experience we want to establish for and together with our audience.

Since 2012 I’ve also been developing, together with my co-director Georges Mutsaerts, Wonderfeel, an outdoor festival for classical music, located in the woods in the centre of the Netherlands. The format takes its cue from pop festivals, with seven stages and a continuous programme from 12 AM until midnight, featuring (inter)national artists in 90 concerts over 3 days. The first two editions of the festival in 2015 and 2016 were a great success, inviting the Dutch national newspapers to remark “Wonderfeel is a fairy tale” (de Volkskrant), “A festival to love” (De Telegraaf) and “Wonderfeel is unique in the world” (NRC Handelsblad).”

When asked what she hopes to contribution to the international field of the performing arts, Tamar noted: “With Wonderfeel I’d like to show the world that the definition of ‘classical music’ can be stretched as far as you like it. Just look at the pictures (below): would you’ve ever guessed they’re taken at a festival for classical music?”

Photo by Juri Hiensch

Tamar attended the New York 2014 ISPA Congress as a Global Fellow and returned in 2016 thanks to the generous support of Dutch Performing Arts / Performing Arts Fund NL. When asked about the impact of her first ISPA experience, Tamar shared:

“A golden ticket to the world of the performing arts. That’s how it felt, when I stepped into Times Center for the first day of the ISPA 2014 congress. Like entering the large Chocolate Factory of Mr Wonka: you know you’ll love it, but you don’t know what to expect, who you will encounter and where exactly you will end up.

In four days my arts network extended to a global size, due to all those inspiring arts managers from all over the world. But the congress did manage, despite its size, to operate on a very personal level. As a fellow I felt (and still feel) very much looked after. ISPA lifted me from the day-to-day issues to an interesting helicopter view on many subjects that everyone in the performing arts will come across if they take the time to look at their work closely, putting things in a larger perspective, reflecting on the past and most of all looking at the future. Leaving New York City I have a lot to chew on and most of it tastes really sweet.”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

]]>Mon, 15 Aug 2016 22:57:50 GMTMeet Ruchira Das (Global; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=294639
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=294639Meet Ruchira Das, Founder & Director of ThinkArts. Think Arts brings imaginative experiences to children in Kolkata and other cities in India. They do so by creating experiential art-engagements for children and young people and presenting performances from India and abroad. Ruchira’s inspiration behind founding ThinkArts came from seeing the impact of artistic experience on her two daughters while homeschooling them. That, coupled with her belief that the arts are an integral part of a child’s life, sparked ThinkArts! It’s no wonder Ruchira’s favorite part of working in the field is “the curiosity that children bring with them when they come to see a performance. And their responses – which could range from surprising insights to just a hug and thank you!”

When asked what she specifically hopes to contribute to the performing arts in her career, Ruchira noted: “Performing arts for young audiences is under-served in India and I hope that through ThinkArts we can work towards addressing that segment by not only presenting great quality international work in India but by also training and supporting performers in India who are keen to create work for young audiences. I hope that in a few years we have a thriving cultural environment that offers ample opportunities for children and young people to engage with the arts on a regular basis. It is our endeavour at ThinkArts to contribute to creating and sustaining such an environment.”

Ruchira attended the New York 2016 ISPA Congress thanks to the generous support of ISPA's Fellowship Patron and Challenge donors. When asked about the impact of her first ISPA experience, Ruchira shared: “It was amazing to meet so many people from different parts of the world, all of them engaged with the arts. It was very inspiring to listen to the speakers at the different sessions addressing vital topics that concern all of us working in the field of performing arts. I was most delighted to meet people like me who were working for young audiences and I am in conversation with some of them to see how we could collaborate together. One of the direct partnerships that emerged is that in November 2016 Think Arts will be presenting shows of Triciclo Rojo’s Vagabundo (presented during the Pitch New Works session at the congress) for the first time in India, across 3 cities.”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.]]>Mon, 20 Jun 2016 18:06:01 GMTMeet Wole Oguntokun (Global; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=288166
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=288166

Huge congratulations to ISPA member and 2-year Global Fellow, Wole Oguntokun, on the opening of The Theatre Republic, a new performing arts venue in Lagos, Nigeria. As Artistic Director, Wole will develop programming geared towards developing cutting-edge contemporary performance and re-presenting classic works in innovative ways. The venue will officially open with “The Ideas Cafe” where Nigerian artists will meet to discuss the country’s performing arts environment and future opportunities. Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Emeritus Professor Wole Soyinka, a dramatist involved in the “Mbari” movements of the 60s and 70s, will be guest speaking. Wole shared that the concept behind “The Ideas Café” was born out of ISPA’s encouragement to disseminate the knowledge gained as an ISPA Fellow. Congratulations, Wole!

The Theatre Republic will be welcoming international interns who want to spend time studying the arts scene at the venue itself and in the city of Lagos as a whole. 'The Republic' offers on-site accommodation to a limited number of these lucky interns!

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

]]>Thu, 5 May 2016 20:15:06 GMTMeet Hakan Silahsizoglu (Global; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=285166
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=285166Meet Hakan Silahsizoglu, producer, actor and play translator based in Istanbul. We caught up with Hakan to learn about his current projects and learned about the following great initiatives.

“As a producer/cultural operator I'm working on various projects right now. One of them is a Syrian-Turkish theatre collaboration with playwright Yasser Abu Shaqra to open in Istanbul then tour internationally. I’m also working towards an international children’s arts festival in Istanbul, first of its kind in “Constantinople". Last not the least I’m organizing a joint meeting for The Fence and Eurodram networks at Istanbul Theatre Festival.”

When asked what he would like to contribute to the international performing arts field, he noted “Living in Istanbul & London, I see these cities as great gateways to the world. Istanbul has so much to offer with its young and active performing art scene. I like to create a bridge where Turkish companies tour abroad & international companies tour in Turkey while bringing expertise from The UK.”

Hakan is part of the Global Fellowship Program, thanks to the generous support of ISPA’s Fellowship Patron and Challenge donors. When asked about his impression of his first ISPA Congress this January, Hakan recalled: “I was amazed and absolutely thrilled to be at the congress. I never thought I could meet so many artists and managers around the globe with great vision and expertise in their fields. It was such a nice experience to hear what is going on in their countries and how they overcome obstacles in an artistic way.”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

]]>Tue, 19 Apr 2016 19:40:22 GMTMeet Ariadna Reyes (Latin America; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=278484
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=278484Meet Ariadna Reyes, Concert and Tour Manager at Lado Be, an entertainment business service agency and consultancy in Mexico. Among many things, Lado Be consults in programming and production and produces and books performances at venues in Mexico and abroad.

Ariadna’s favorite part about working in this field is “the opportunity to meet incredible artists and amazing people. To get goose bumps during a show and to change your routine pretty often.”

When asked what she would like to contribute to the international field of the performing arts, Ariadna noted: “I would love to contribute as an agent and witness of collaboration and connection in between artists. It’s inspiring to me the stories of artists from diverse genres or fields that come up with thrilling works as a result of a festival’s petition, for example.”

Ariadna is part of the Latin America Regional Fellowship Program, thanks to the support of Cultura UDG and eje7. When asked about her impression of her first ISPA Congress this January, Ariadna recalled: “For me, it was an insightful experience to have a glimpse to other realities apart from mine. ISPA makes you feel as part of an inclusive community that, as you, believes that the arts make a better society. Even if you feel yourself a bit shy, the atmosphere encourages you to talk to the partner next to you."

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

]]>Mon, 7 Mar 2016 15:53:46 GMTMeet Plot Mhako (Global; 2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=273870
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=273870Meet Plot Mhako, founder and director of Jibilika Dance Trust located in Harare, Zimbabwe. Jibilika Dance Trust is a social enterprise that aims to empower youth through innovative programming, multimedia activism, mentorship and volunteering in schools and communities, as well as supporting and training young and upcoming artists in Zimbabwe. Among numerous projects, Jibilika Dance Trust has been running the largest annual dance festival in Zimbabwe for the past 9 years.

On top of his work with Jibilika Dance Trust, Plot is co-director of Kuenda Productions, a collaborative dance, music and theatre company. His favorite part about working in this field is “working in [an environment] that is entirely passion driven.”

When asked what he specifically hopes to contribute to the field in his career, Plot explained: “I hope to contribute ideas on running sustainable arts social enterprises in economically unstable environments based on my experience in Zimbabwe.”

Plot was a 2016 Global Fellow and had his first ISPA experience at the New York 2016 ISPA Congress last month. When asked about his impression of his first ISPA Congress, Plot shared the following with us: “The first congress was mind blowing. I had never imagined being under one roof with more than 500 people who pursue the same or similar work I do. That was the most inspiring part that everywhere I turned I bumped into warm and relevant people who were very forthcoming to talk, share ideas and experiences. I learnt a lot from the various sessions and they did answer most questions I had. Once I got back home I hosted a symposium with at least 100 artists and arts managers from different sectors where I shared a bit on what I had learnt and experienced at the ISPA congress.”

In 2016, ISPA brought 46 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting the 2016 ISPA Fellows in features via the members-only monthly newsletter Network and on the website.

]]>Tue, 9 Feb 2016 16:46:24 GMTMeet Inti Viana (Colombia; 2015 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=264581
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=264581Meet Inti Viana, Concert Coordinator at Banco de la República’s Music Section in Bogotá, Colombia. In her capacity at the Central Bank, Inti oversees special projects including the Music Commission Program, which supports Colombian composers and promotes their new works internationally. Inti’s favorite part about working in this field is “help[ing] young musicians build their careers.”

Inti was first introduced to ISPA in 2014 when the Congress was held in Bogotá and was subsequently chosen for the Colombian Fellowship in 2015. When asked about her impression of her first ISPA Congress, Inti recalled “I was amazed at how many things are happening in the artistic field around the world. So many people proposing new approaches to what we do every day, all of them wonderful and innovative. I am grateful to have had this opportunity; it was revealing and thanks to this Congress I have now a new perspective of how arts can do for the society.”

When asked about what she hopes to contribute to the field in her career, Inti expressed “I want young Colombian musicians to have a new perspective on what is happening outside our country. It is more than being a pianist or a violinist or a composer. It is about being innovative and a good citizen. I think that with the experience I have gained working with the bank and what I saw in New York at ISPA I can show them that music offers many possibilities to make a living while helping the society.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via the member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.

]]>Mon, 7 Dec 2015 23:12:41 GMTMeet Allegra Galvin (British; 2013-2016 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=255266
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=255266Meet Allegra Galvin, Director of Folkestone Quarterhouse in Kent, United Kingdom. Folkestone Quarterhouse is an arts center connected to Creative Foundation, a culture-led regeneration charity dedicated to the community of Folkestone, Kent. Of the art center’s many programs, Allegra highlighted a series of festivals programmed by the community itself through open meetings – aligned with her particular “interest in how we give audiences agency over cultural buildings.”

Allegra’s favorite part about working in the field is that that she “can be a creator, an enabler and a consumer of culture.” She expressed “It makes for a rich, interesting life. And you can’t ask for more than that. Actually I would ask for more time!”

When asked about what she hopes to contribute to the field in her career, Allegra explained “most communities have a space for culture – whether it’s a theatre, a concert hall, an arts center or the local village or school hall. I want those buildings to be spaces where everyone feels welcome. Spaces that are for communities to gather together – to experience and to contribute to their culture. I think the US and UK have a lot to learn in this area from countries like Brazil, where ‘culture’ is taken as a broader term and shared in by a broader demographic.”

Allegra has been an ISPA Fellow since 2013, thanks to the support of Arts Council England. When asked about her impression of her first ISPA Congress, Allegra recalled “My first impression was… here is an international community of people who love what I love! I felt that the ISPA community was actively seeking to include me in the conversation – from the main debates to chats over coffee.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via the member-only monthly newsletterNetworkand the website.

Ryan’s favorite part about working in this field is “meeting other people from around the world who also have the same passion for supporting the arts.”

When asked about what he hopes to contribute to the field in his career, Ryan explained “we have amazing Aboriginal Artists in Canada that a creating incredible work. My goal is to develop an International Indigenous Touring Network to help my community access international markets through strategic partnerships with presenters and public funding organizations.”

Ryan has been an ISPA Fellow since 2012, thanks to the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. When asked about his impression of his first Congress three years ago, Ryan recalled “an extremely supporting and inclusive group of Arts leaders who are working towards keeping our industry exciting, relevant and evolving.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via the member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.

]]>Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:20:00 GMTMeet Sherif El Razzaz (Egypt; 2015 ISPA Global Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=246373
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=246373Meet Sherif El Razzaz, Founder and General Manager of the European Egyptian Contemporary Music Society (EECMS). EECMS seeks to promote contemporary music in Egypt and foster creative dialogue by building relationships with cultural institutions and ensembles at a national and international level. Within this mission, Sherif is currently working on two important new initiatives which we are thrilled to be able to present in this month’s Fellow Spotlight.

Heritage and Modernity

An exciting two year undertaking supported by the Allianz Culture Foundation, Heritage and Modernity aims to reinforce the concept of heritage as a collective social sentiment. Through high caliber artistic productions and the use of texts that reflect the region’s current state of affairs, Heritage and Modernity will spotlight heritage’s influence on everyday life, communication with others, and the development of artistic productions in the region.

Caprice

Over three years, Caprice will secure commissions from eight renowned composers spanning over three continents to compose pieces that integrate Arabic instruments into the corpus of a modern Western ensemble. Thanks to the support of the E. V. Siemens Music Foundation, the project’s first commission will be a composition for Oud and ensemble created by composers Oscar Bianchi (Switzerland) and Zaid Jabri (Syria). The world premiere will take place in 2016 at the Institute for National Arabic Music.

Sherif’s favorite part about working in this field is “the entire process, from becoming an idea, developing it, until it happens, challenging, exhausting, but great pleasure.”

When asked about his impression of his first ISPA Congress, Sherif said: “ISPA is a unique gathering, very welcoming and sincerely dedicated to the performing arts.”

To learn more about Caprice, visit EECMS's website here. More details regarding the launch of Heritage and Modernity will also be made available here.

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we're highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via the member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.

]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 17:05:03 GMTMeet Dóra Juhász (Hungary; 2015 ISPA Global Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=242183
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=242183Meet Dóra Juhász, general manager of Compagnie Pal Frenak, a renowned Paris-Budapest based, French-Hungarian contemporary dance company. Prior to joining Compagnie Pal Frenak, Dóra began her career as a dance and theatre critic and was head of press and communications at Trafo House of Contemporary Arts, one of Hungary’s most important performing arts venues.

Dóra’s favorite part about working in this field is “the chance to help [her] artists dream big, find ways to make their dreams come true, and create visibility for [Companie Pal Frenak’s] amazing projects.” Her most recent project is BIRDIE, a fusion of contemporary dance and design performed by 6 dancers from Cuba, France, Hungary, and the United States.

When asked about her impression of her first ISPA Congress, Dóra expressed:

“Endless inspiration, amazing network, thought-provoking talks and lectures. In the constantly changing and challenged art world, theexpertise that the ISPA members have, is a powerful gift that really deserves to be shared, and the Congress is just a brilliant opportunity for the formal and informal sharing of knowledge. Learning and exploring new mechanisms in the art management field and creating international collaborations is the key to survive in my region and I cannot be grateful enough to have had the chance to build these cross-cultural bridges in the frame of the congress.”

When asked about what she plans to contribute to the field, she said: “I am really motivated by exploring new narratives, forms of communication in the art field, and creating a tool to making our cultural products more visible.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it's impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we're highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via the member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.

]]>Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:04:36 GMTMeet Sriram Emani (India; 2015 ISPA Global Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=238182
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=238182Meet Sriram Emani, Co-Founder and CEO, IndianRaga, a fellowship program that brings together the best young musicians today to present Indian classical music in a way that is relevant and accessible to a younger, global audience today.

Sriram describes the germination of IndianRaga in an interview with Indian-American Community Magazine Khabar:

“The desire to find a way to empower young musicians and make Indian classical music more relevant today was there for over a decade. The idea of IndianRaga was, however, born when I was taking a class at MIT Media Lab, where we were being encouraged to use digital media and technology innovatively. I wrote the business plan for IndianRaga as part of the final course, and it went on to win the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge and the US Creative Business Cup. Before we knew it we had launched!”

He asserts that the lack of government and individual giving and challenging situation encouraged him to have more effective entrepreneurial approach to his work.

When asked how he is benefiting from ISPA’s Global Fellowship Program, Sriram answered that the program provides invaluable opportunities to “meet mentors with diverse experiences that you cannot learn from a textbook.” Having met a cohort of 52 fellows from around the world and exchanged each other’s ideas and experiences, Sriram says he is reassured that he now has a credible entry point to different cultural regions.

“ISPA’s program takes your perspective from a local level to a global level, allowing one to realize that having a global impact is possible and it is within reach.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.

]]>Sat, 20 Jun 2015 23:03:29 GMTMeet Katrin Amberntsson (Stockholm, Sweden; 2015 ISPA Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=227527
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=227527Meet Katrin Amberntsson, Senior Producer at Re:Orient in Sweden, a leading organizer of international cultural and music events in Sweden. Prior to joining Re:Orient, she was Events Manager at Södra Teatern, one of Sweden´s foremost international venues for music. Katrin also has professional experience in public relations and tourism, having worked as a consultant and press coordinator at MTV and as a travel agent for the Cairo areas. Her favorite part about working in the arts field is that her job continuously feeds her with numerous opportunities to meet people and learn new things.

Katrin expressed that she was very satisfied with her first ISPA Congress experience which introduced her to “an amazing network of professionals that allows growth, in both career and as a person.”

When asked about the kind of contribution she hopes to make to the international field of performing arts, Katrin answered:

“My professional life has been divided between the cultural and the commercial sector. I believe strongly that mutual benefits can be derived from different branches cooperating. I also see great possibilities with inter-cultural communication. Over the years, I have worked a great deal with the Middle East and I hope to contribute a Scandinavian and Middle-Eastern perspective on my job in an international environment.”

[About "Fellow Spoitlight"]
In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in this feature series via monthly newsletter Network and the official website.

]]>Mon, 20 Apr 2015 21:10:18 GMTMeet Oluwole Oguntokun (Nigeria; 2015 ISPA Global Fellow)https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=220610
https://www.ispa.org/news/news.asp?id=220610Meet Oluwole Oguntokun, Artistic Director of Renegade Theatre, one of the most consistent performing arts companies in Nigeria. Oluwole has produced and directed in many major Nigerian productions over the past few years. Renegade Theatre was the only West African Company to perform at the Globe to Globe Festival at Shakespeare's Globe, in London in 2012. It is the only Nigerian company that has ever presented productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – “The Waiting Room” in 2013 and “The Tarzan Monologues” in 2014. The theatre is currently working on getting its own venue in the first half of this year.

When asked about his first ISPA Congress experience last January, he says:

“It was without doubt the most immersive performing arts event I’d ever had the good fortune of being a part of. There was talent everywhere I turned, and authorities on almost every topic in the performing arts. The amazing thing was everyone wanted to share knowledge.”

“Productions are like miracles, seemingly the creation of entities out of nothing. It shows humanity in a different light always, every single time. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of one of the few unifying factors the world has,” reveals Oluwole about his favorite part of working in the field of performing arts.

“I would like to be a major contributor to the export of African arts and culture to the rest of the world, so the flow goes both ways. And by African, I mean, all of Africa and not just South Africa, which seems to be the trend.”

In 2015, ISPA brought 52 Fellows from around the world to the New York Congress. We know it’s impossible to meet all these emerging leaders onsite so we’re highlighting 2015 ISPA Fellows in features via member-only monthly newsletter Network and the website.